Benefits

Much of what children are expected to read in school is non-fiction, yet what they are mostly reading is fiction. Now more than ever, children need to read, comprehend, evaluate, and synthesize informational text in order to be successful in school and on standardized tests. Through the use of these books, educators and parents will be able to:

Combine science content with literacy
and language development
Increase comprehension, communication,
and inquiry skills
Practice strategic reading by making inferences and asking questions before, during, and after reading
Deliver standards-based content in science
Engage children with high interest topics

Text Structures

In addition, non-fiction reading and comprehension require knowledge of a variety of text structures. Through the use of these books, students will develop an understanding of organizational patterns:

Main Idea & Details
Compare & Contrast
Cause & Effect
Sequencing
Description
Steps in a Process
Determining Importance
Problem & Solution